Boost for regimental museums

London’s National Army Museum (NAM) has appointed a liaison officer to support the UK’s 136 regimental museums.

The appointment of Julian Farrance, who has been with the NAM for 12 years, follows last year’s review of the museums funded by the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

The review called for the NAM to play a more proactive role in guiding and advising the army museum network.

As well as working with the regimental museums, Farrance will be liaising with the MoD and the Army Museums Ogilby Trust (Amot), a charity that supports regimental museums.

The UK’s regimental museums range from large institutions with Designated collections to those run by one member of staff and with limited public access. Farrance will be involved in training, advice, events, networking, touring exhibitions and loans.

Amot director Colin Sibun said the appointment of Farrance had “great potential” although it was early days.

Richard Dunn, the director of the Royal Engineers Museum & Library in Gillingham, Kent, which has a Designated collection and is one of the larger army museums, also welcomed the appointment.

“I think it is a very positive move,” Dunn said. “There are plenty of the smaller regimental museums, where there might be just one member of staff, and people in these situations are always appreciative of help and advice.”

Janice Murray has been making a number of changes at the NAM since she became its director in 2010, replacing Alan Guy, who had been at the museum for 33 years, including six years as the director.

As well as increasing the museum’s involvement with regimental museums, she appointed Event Communications last year to create a five-year masterplan for its site in Chelsea. The museum is expecting to hear soon whether an application to the Heritage Lottery Fund has been successful.